Friday, November 14, 2008

Come again?

Do you love dogs, and training them? Can YOU run the ultimate bootcamp? Do you have proven experience in being able to train those aggressive breeds who go from trainer to trainer and never seem to learn how to sit or stay still? Then we want YOU as our next drill sergeant!!!!Varuna Entertainment is currently casting for a dramatic reality docuseries for the Animal Planet. Candidates must be able to take a stern and militaristic, yet positive attitude towards dog training, and can show us on video or in pictures. Think "Celebrity Fit Club" or "Biggest Loser."

I can just see it now, can't you? Move over Cesar -- the next generation of Dog Whisperers is on deck.

But then, at the end of the ad is this little caution:

Please read this casting notice fully, and realize that we are NOT looking for trainers who use physically aggressive techniques to train their animals. We want trainers who can separate themselves from the batch we usually see on TV -- aside from Victoria Stillwell, whose methods are quite similar to what we are looking for -- who use treats, clickers, etc., which are also, of course, successful methods as well.

So they don't want Cesar wannabes, then? They want trainers who espouse positive reinforcement, but they also want them to be drill sergeants and run a doggie boot camp?

Don't misunderstand me: I'm VERY happy that the company want trainers who espouse positive reinforcement. Somehow, though, I don't think such trainers are going to want to adopt drill sergeant personas, even to acquire 15 or more minutes of fame.

About Me

No, this is not a picture of me. This smiling face belongs to Allie, the eight-year-old Golden Retriever for whom this blog is named. I'm an award-winning writer who specializes in companion animal topics, especially those pertaining to dogs. In addition to my writing for periodicals, I've also written six books about dog care, including the best-selling Housetraining For Dummies. On this blog, I'll explore various aspects of living with dogs and writing about them -- with occasional detours into totally unrelated topics (because I can!). Enjoy!